Nervous

EndlessDestiny · Nov 29, 2010

I've been working on a new story lately and it's been coming along very well; everyone who's read it has liked it so far. It's a high fantasy steampunkish story that's possibly young adult. I've been planning since the beginning to have the MC and another female character get into a relationship, and many of the characters are bisexual (not an important part of the story). I don't consider it to be an lgbt story and I worry that it won't be marketable. My other worry is that my family will end up finding it (the main reason I want to use a pen name).

What do you guys think?

Jessianodel · Nov 29, 2010

Actually, YA lgbt stories are pretty marketable, because most of the younger generations just don't care. At least it wouldn't stop anyone I know from reading a great book.

And why are you afraid of your family finding out? Are they anti-gays? And furthermore, does it matter? It's your book, and if the characters are bisexual or gay or lesbian or whatever, then that's the life of the story. We're writers, not peacekeepers.

MumblingSage · Nov 30, 2010

My other worry is that my family will end up finding it (the main reason I want to use a pen name).

If it's any comfort, you're not alone?
And maybe it would feel better to 'come out' as a pro-LGBT writer when you've got a published novel as proof that not everybody thinks it's immoral and awful?

citymouse · Nov 30, 2010

EndlessDestiny said:
I've been working on a new story lately and it's been coming along very well; everyone who's read it has liked it so far. It's a high fantasy steampunkish story that's possibly young adult. I've been planning since the beginning to have the MC and another female character get into a relationship, and many of the characters are bisexual (not an important part of the story). I don't consider it to be an lgbt story and I worry that it won't be marketable. My other worry is that my family will end up finding it (the main reason I want to use a pen name).

What do you guys think?

Yes, your story would be marketable. However, your customer base will be smaller because a publisher will most likely "pigeonhole" it as gay fiction. Some, finding your book, would opt out after reading the blurb.

As for the familial situation, everyone has to thread that needle alone. We all have opinions on the subject, but you are the one who has to live with a decision to tell it like it is, or not.
Good Luck.

C

JohnnyGottaKeyboard · Nov 30, 2010

Jessianodel said:
Are they anti-gays?

That brought a terrific smile to my face. We should all start using this term immediately.

Gale Haut · Nov 30, 2010

As Anne Lamott says in Bird by Bird, "You're not writing for Mommy." Um, or something like that.

Deleted member 42 · Dec 1, 2010

citymouse said:
Yes, your story would be marketable. However, your customer base will be smaller because a publisher will most likely "pigeonhole" it as gay fiction. Some, finding your book, would opt out after reading the blurb. C

The situation the OP describes has been fairly common in YA and fantasy for about 20 years.

Not an issue for a mainstream publisher.

Sheila Muirenn · Dec 2, 2010

I've elected not to worry about what my family thinks about my lgbt characters.

I plan to use the words 'get over it' a lot.

If they don't 'get over it', well, they're family. My family is difficult and critical. They'll find something they don't like no matter what.

5YOL · Dec 30, 2010

Sheila Muirenn said:
My family is difficult and critical. They'll find something they don't like no matter what.

Once you become aware of this, kinda fun to play the "Where Will They Find the Negative" game!

TonyBlue · Feb 12, 2011

I am fast approaching a time where I will be shopping around my manuscript and I have a few of the same fears. It's definitely adult fiction, dark fantasy both MCs are gay males in the military.

I wonder... will it sell? Only one way to find out! There are plenty of resources on finding agents wanting your kind of work and mine. Damn what nay-sayers think when it comes out in print. Because y'know... you've got a book in print.

Anne Lyle · Feb 12, 2011

Fantasy is full of teh gays, Tony - I wouldn't worry. I haven't had any problems with my partial so far, despite there being a pretty blatant "these two guys just slept together" scene at the beginning of chapter two

I can understand your nervousness, though, EndlessDestiny - not so much my family, but I'm dreading the looks and comments I'll get if any of my work colleagues find out about some of the content of my novel. As far as they're concerned, I'm a "normal" married straight woman, just a bit geekier than average.

How little do they know...

Jason58A · Feb 13, 2011

It's 2011. We are living in the future. I don't think people, in particular fantasy readers, are offended by LGBTQ issues anymore, and it's only becoming more acceptable. The Sword of Truth books, for one, have featured gay characters (although not protagonists).

That being said, come out to your family. It's none of my business and I don't know you and blah blah blah. If you can do so safely, come out. It's better for you, better for your family, better for the world. When they realize someone they love is queer, it makes for that many more open minded people on the earth.

VP_Benni · Feb 13, 2011

Jason58A said:
That being said, come out to your family. It's none of my business and I don't know you and blah blah blah. If you can do so safely, come out. It's better for you, better for your family, better for the world. When they realize someone they love is queer, it makes for that many more open minded people on the earth.

I'm not so sure about that... I'm not talking about every close-minded person, of course, but there are a lot of people who won't change their beliefs just because they know someone isn't straight. I'm certain if I came out to my family, I'd be kicked out of the house. My parents don't want me to have queer FRIENDS... my mom has this idea that queer people travel in packs, so apparently if I hang out with queer people, I become one... I have yet to see the logic behind that statement, and since I'm bisexual I don't see how it matters anyway... But, to get back to my original point, some people would rather change you than change their beliefs, and IMO it's better to think about what your family would do if you come out to them before you actually do it.

~Amber~

JohnnyGottaKeyboard · Feb 13, 2011

xXVampyrePrincessXx said:
I'm not so sure about that... I'm not talking about every close-minded person, of course, but there are a lot of people who won't change their beliefs just because they know someone isn't straight. I'm certain if I came out to my family, I'd be kicked out of the house. My parents don't want me to have queer FRIENDS... my mom has this idea that queer people travel in packs, so apparently if I hang out with queer people, I become one... I have yet to see the logic behind that statement, and since I'm bisexual I don't see how it matters anyway... But, to get back to my original point, some people would rather change you than change their beliefs, and IMO it's better to think about what your family would do if you come out to them before you actually do it.

~Amber~

But what good do people like this contribute to your life? If your family will hate you because you're gay, then (even if you're not gay) you are probably better off without them in your life. Certainly you won't be losing much.

Anne Lyle · Feb 13, 2011

I guess it depends how old you are - if you're living at home with parents and particularly if you're still in school, you don't have much choice. Better to wait until you have a job and a home of your own and can say "screw you"

Not that I've ever had this problem. Things are less inflammatory when your main gender issues are not about who you sleep with...

thethinker42 · Feb 13, 2011

Sheila Muirenn said:
I've elected not to worry about what my family thinks about my lgbt characters.

I plan to use the words 'get over it' a lot.

This is what I did, too. People have tried to give me crap about what I write (mostly M/M erotic romance), and I'll just throw it right back at them and ask WHY it's wrong/bad/repulsive/weird/etc. If they expect me to defend what I write, they'd better give me a reason why it needs defending.

That usually ends the conversation in pretty short order.

Anne Lyle · Feb 14, 2011

Nice one, Lori!

I can understand people being initially fazed by the idea of someone writing romance/erotica about orientations other than their own - to which my answer is "so why do straight men like 'lesbian' porn so much?"

I have a straight friend who writes m/m romance, and a gay friend who writes m/f YA - go figure!

JohnnyGottaKeyboard · Feb 14, 2011

Did y'all see this? Slightly off-topic from the OP, but in line with those of you writing M/M romance.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life...-want-gay-male-romance-novels/article1902774/

The article appears to contain some errors (esp regarding the personal lives of Erastes and Alex Beecroft), but the link is mainly interesting for the comments. Keep in mind this is a conservative newsite.

Anne Lyle · Feb 14, 2011

JohnnyGottaKeyboard said:
The article appears to contain some errors (esp regarding the personal lives of Erastes and Alex Beecroft).

I can't speak for Erastes, but Alex is a personal friend (and member of my offline writers' group - we've critted the opening chapter of "False Colors" as well as her latest work). What the article says looks pretty accurate to me.

MumblingSage · Feb 15, 2011

JohnnyGottaKeyboard said:
Did y'all see this? Slightly off-topic from the OP, but in line with those of you writing M/M romance.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life...-want-gay-male-romance-novels/article1902774/

The article appears to contain some errors (esp regarding the personal lives of Erastes and Alex Beecroft), but the link is mainly interesting for the comments. Keep in mind this is a conservative newsite.

I find those reactions heartening. The one time I 'came out' as a slash fangirl to some friends (well, aquiantences I was sharing a hotel room with on a school trip; it became the same thing when we started oversharing personal information), they were very weirded out. Luckily my in-the-flesh friends, many of them straight males, have been fine with it, and I've meet plenty of enthusastic fellow fans online.
It's cool to see we're going mainstream.

Selah March · Feb 15, 2011

Anne Lyle said:
I can't speak for Erastes, but Alex is a personal friend (and member of my offline writers' group - we've critted the opening chapter of "False Colors" as well as her latest work). What the article says looks pretty accurate to me.

The inaccuracies were in relation to Erastes. She's unmarried, for one thing, and I believe they got her age wrong, as well.

Deleted member 42 · Feb 15, 2011

According to m/m author Heidi Cullinan from the article linked above:

Heidi Cullinan said:
One of the reasons why more women are ravenous for these books is that they want to read something about gay men that doesn’t involve them suffering from [HIV/AIDS], committing suicide or getting bullied. I know I was,” Cullinan says, adding that mainstream TV shows such as Queer As Folk and True Blood have helped heterosexuals embrace guy-on-guy fantasies as “normal.”

BunnyMaz · Feb 15, 2011

I would say to write it how you want to write it. If you ask me, there isn't enough work out there that is openly inclusive towards LGBTQ. You might get a few parents-of-readers with issues, but they will be fringe group, even if they seem vocal enough for many more.

Look at it this way- Chick tracts haven't harmed Harry Potter sales, eh?

JohnnyGottaKeyboard · Feb 15, 2011

Selah March said:
The inaccuracies were in relation to Erastes. She's unmarried, for one thing, and I believe they got her age wrong, as well.

I don't know Alex or Erastes but the three of us share a publisher. Alex commented there that the article erroneously claimed she was Irish. I was just hedging my bets as to the article's arcuracy re their personal lives based on what Erastes and Alex had commented.

JohnnyGottaKeyboard · Feb 15, 2011

Medievalist said:
According to m/m author Heidi Cullinan from the article linked above:

True Blood has certainly helped me be more appreciative of guy-on-gal sexuality--especially when the guy is Ryan Kwanten!

http://truebloodguide.com/cast-character-bios/jason-stackhouse-ryan-kwanten/

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